the story of an african farm-第6节
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worm…eaten rafters and mud floor； and broken whitewashed walls。 A curious
little place； filled with all manner of articles。 Next to the fire was a
great toolbox； beyond that the little bookshelf with its well…worn books；
beyond that； in the corner； a heap of filled and empty grain…bags。 From
the rafters hung down straps； riems； old boots； bits of harness； and a
string of onions。 The bed was in another corner； covered by a patchwork
quilt of faded red lions； and divided from the rest of the room by a blue
curtain； now drawn back。 On the mantelshelf was an endless assortment of
little bags and stones； and on the wall hung a map of South Germany； with a
red line drawn through it to show where the German had wandered。 This
place was the one home the girls had known for many a year。 The house
where Tant Sannie lived and ruled was a place to sleep in； to eat in； not
to be happy in。 It was in vain she told them they were grown too old to go
there； every morning and evening found them there。 Were there not too many
golden memories hanging about the old place for them to leave it？
Long winter nights； when they had sat round the fire and roasted potatoes；
and asked riddles； and the old man had told of the little German village；
where； fifty years before； a little German boy had played at snowballs； and
had carried home the knitted stockings of a little girl who afterward
became Waldo's mother； did they not seem to see the German peasant girls
walking about with their wooden shoes and yellow； braided hair； and the
little children eating their suppers out of little wooden bowls when the
good mothers called them in to have their milk and potatoes？
And were there not yet better times than these？ Moonlight nights； when
they romped about the door； with the old man； yet more a child than any of
them； and laughed； till the old roof of the wagon…house rang？
Or； best of all； were there not warm； dark； starlight nights； when they sat
together on the doorstep； holding each other's hands； singing German hymns；
their voices rising clear in the still night airtill the German would
draw away his hand suddenly to wipe quickly a tear the children must not
see？ Would they not sit looking up at the stars and talking of themof
the dear Southern Cross； red； fiery Mars； Orion； with his belt； and the
Seven Mysterious Sistersand fall to speculating over them？ How old are
they？ Who dwelt in them？ And the old German would say that perhaps the
souls we loved lived in them； there； in that little twinkling point was
perhaps the little girl whose stockings he had carried home； and the
children would look up at it lovingly； and call it 〃Uncle Otto's star。〃
Then they would fall to deeper speculationsof the times and seasons
wherein the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll； and the stars
shall fall as a fig…tree casteth her untimely figs； and there shall be time
no longer： 〃When the Son of man shall come in His glory； and all His holy
angels with Him。〃 In lower and lower tones they would talk； till at last
they fell into whispers； then they would wish good night softly； and walk
home hushed and quiet。
Tonight； when Lyndall looked in； Waldo sat before the fire watching a pot
which simmered there； with his slate and pencil in his hand； his father sat
at the table buried in the columns of a three…weeks…old newspaper； and the
stranger lay stretched on the bed in the corner； fast asleep； his mouth
open； his great limbs stretched out loosely； betokening much weariness。
The girl put the rations down upon the table； snuffed the candle； and stood
looking at the figure on the bed。
〃Uncle Otto；〃 she said presently； laying her hand down on the newspaper；
and causing the old German to look up over his glasses； 〃how long did that
man say he had been walking？〃
〃Since this morning； poor fellow！ A gentlemannot accustomed to walking
horse diedpoor fellow！〃 said the German； pushing out his lip and glancing
commiseratingly over his spectacles in the direction of the bed where the
stranger lay； with his flabby double chin； and broken boots through which
the flesh shone。
〃And do you believe him； Uncle Otto？〃
〃Believe him？ why of course I do。 He himself told me the story three times
distinctly。〃
〃If；〃 said the girl slowly； 〃he had walked for only one day his boots would
not have looked so； and if〃
〃If！〃 said the German starting up in his chair； irritated that any one
should doubt such irrefragable evidence〃if！ Why； he told me himself！
Look how he lies there；〃 added the German pathetically； 〃worn outpoor
fellow！ We have something for him though；〃 pointing with his forefinger
over his shoulder to the saucepan that stood on the fire。 〃We are not
cooksnot French cooks； not quite； but it's drinkable； drinkable； I think；
better than nothing； I think；〃 he added； nodding his head in a jocund
manner that evinced his high estimation of the contents of the saucepan and
his profound satisfaction therein。 〃Bish！ bish！ my chicken；〃 he said； as
Lyndall tapped her little foot up and down upon the floor。 〃Bish！ bish！ my
chicken； you will wake him。〃
He moved the candle so that his own head might intervene between it and the
sleeper's face； and； smoothing his newspaper； he adjusted his spectacles to
read。
The child's grey…black eyes rested on the figure on the bed； then turned to
the German； then rested on the figure again。
〃I think he is a liar。 Good night； Uncle Otto；〃 she said slowly； turning
to the door。
Long after she had gone the German folded his paper up methodically； and
put it in his pocket。
The stranger had not awakened to partake of the soup； and his son had
fallen asleep on the ground。 Taking two white sheepskins from the heap of
sacks in the corner； the old man doubled them up； and lifting the boy's
head gently from the slate on which it rested； placed the skins beneath it。
〃Poor lambie； poor lambie！〃 he said； tenderly patting the great rough bear…
like head； 〃tired is he！〃
He threw an overcoat across the boy's feet； and lifted the saucepan from
the fire。 There was no place where the old man could comfortably lie down
himself； so he resumed his seat。 Opening a much…worn Bible； he began to
read； and as he read pleasant thoughts and visions thronged on him。
〃I was a stranger； and ye took me in；〃 he read。
He turned again to the bed where the sleeper lay。
〃I was a stranger。〃
Very tenderly the old man looked at him。 He saw not the bloated body nor
the evil face of the man； but； as it were； under deep disguise and fleshly
concealment； the form that long years of dreaming had made very real to
him。 〃Jesus； lover； and is it given to us； weak and sinful； frail and
erring； to serve Thee； to take Thee in！〃 he said softly； as he rose from
his seat。 Full of joy； he began to pace the little room。 Now and again as
he walked he sang the lines of a German hymn； or muttered broken words of
prayer。 The little room was full of light。 It appeared to the German that
Christ was very near him； and that at almost any moment the thin mist of
earthly darkness that clouded his human eyes might be withdrawn； and that
made manifest of which the friends at Emmaus； beholding it； said； 〃It is
the Lord！〃
Again； and yet again； through the long hours of that night； as the old man
walked he looked up to the roof of his little room； with its blackened
rafters； and yet saw them not。 His rough bearded face was illuminated with
a radiant gladness； and the night was not shorter to the dreaming sleepers
than to him whose waking dreams brought heaven near。
So quickly the night fled； that he looked up with surprise when at four
o'clock the first grey streaks of summer dawn showed themselves through the
little window。 Then the old man turned to rake together the few coals that
lay under the ashes； and his son； turning on the sheepskins； muttered
sleepily to know if it were time to rise。
〃Lie still； lie still！ I would only make a fire；〃 said the old man。
〃Have you been up all night？〃 asked the boy。
〃Yes； but it has been short； very short。 Sleep again； my chicken； it is
yet early。〃
And he went out to fetch more fuel。
Chapter 1。IV。 Blessed is He That Believeth。
Bonaparte Blenkins sat on the side of the bed。 He had wonderfully revived
since the day before； held his head high； talked in a full sonorous voice；
and ate greedily of all the viands offered him。 At his side was a basin of
soup； from which he took a deep draught now and again as he watched the
fingers of the German； who sat on the mud floor mending the bottom of a
chair。
Presently he looked out； where； in the afternoon sunshine； a few half…grown
ostriches might be seen wandering listlessly about； and then he looked in
again at the little whitewashed room； and at Lyndall； who sat in the
doorway looking at a book。 Then he raised his
